RENTERS AND STUDENTS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FEMA DISASTER ASSISTANCE
[https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20230425/renters-and-students-may-be-eligible-fema-disaster-assistance]


Release Date: 
October 14, 2017 

ORLANDO, FLA. – If you are a renter or a student at a college or
university in a disaster designated Florida county
[http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4337] and sustained damage from
Hurricane Irma, you may be eligible for disaster assistance. 

The first step is to register with FEMA online at
disasterassistance.gov [http://www.disasterassistance.gov/] or by
calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are
available. Survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech
disability and use TTY can call 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or VRS
(Video Relay Services) or require accommodations while visiting a
center, can call 800-621-3362 to register. The toll-free numbers are
open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET daily.

As a renter or student, you may also qualify for a grant under
FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program for essential personal
property and other needs. FEMA grants can help pay for
disaster-related expenses that do not have to be repaid such as:

	* Replacement or repair of necessary personal property, such as
furniture, appliances, clothing, text books or school supplies
	* Replacement or repair of tools and other job-related equipment
required if you are self-employed
	* Replacement or repair of primary vehicles
	* Medical and dental bills as a result of the disaster

As a student or renter, you do not need to be a permanent resident of
the designated counties to be eligible for assistance, but the
property damage or loss must have occurred in a disaster designated
county.

Renters and students may also qualify for a low-interest SBA loan of
up to $40,000 to repair or replace personal property.  For more
information, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center
at 800-659-2955 or visit sba.gov/disaster
[http://www.sba.gov/disaster].  TTY users may call 800-877-8339.
Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application
via SBA’s secure website at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela
[https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela].

###

_FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to
ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and
improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to,
recover from, and mitigate all hazards._

_Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race,
color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English
proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been
discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For
TTY call 800-462-7585._

_FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public
transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and
burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan.
However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them
to SBA to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property,
vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses_